“I want to be somewhere where I’m wanted, and if that’s not here, then that’s fine.”DREW HENSON

OAKLAND – Because he has struggled with the Columbus Clippers the past two seasons and the Yankees acquired third baseman Aaron Boone this week, Drew Henson understands his time as a Yankee could be running out – even though he is owed $12 million across the next three seasons.

In the wake of GM Brian Cashman’s summation of the third baseman’s lack of development after the Boone trade, Henson told the Columbus Dispatch it may be time to move on.

“I want to be somewhere where I’m wanted, and if that’s not here, then that’s fine,” Henson told the paper Saturday. “But I’ve still got a month left to the season. I’m going to try to finish strong regardless of what my future is with the Yankees.”

Hours after acquiring Boone from the Reds on Thursday, Cashman was very pointed in discussing the effect the deal had on Henson, who is batting .228 with 12 homers and 58 RBIs at Triple-A.

“Drew Henson hasn’t developed to the point where he is in consideration for the major league side,” Cashman said. “By this move we recognize there is a position of need for the organization and we can improve upon it now. The move for Aaron Boone speaks volumes as to Drew Henson in terms of his development at this time.”

Henson responded to that by saying: “I work my [butt] off here every day and everyone that’s around me knows that. I couldn’t care less about what people think about me. The important thing is how I feel about myself, my teammates and my family. If anything, it gives me more motivation to keep going.”

Henson, a former Michigan quarterback, steadfastly denies he is thinking about chucking baseball and taking a shot at the NFL. Houston owns his rights after taking him in the sixth round of the draft.